Many changes coming to the holiday classic, The Nutcracker - A Tale from the Bayou

(Source: Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre)

December 13, 2018 at 4:08 AM CST - Updated December 13 at 11:34 AM

Information provided by the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre

BATON ROUGE - It will be 27 years that the Nutcracker - A Tale from the Bayou has been performed in its present form here in Baton Rouge, but this year the holiday classic will look a little different from the production that our loyal audiences have become familiar with.

Date: December 15 and 16, 2018

Time: 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. each day

Place: Raising Cane’s River Center Arena

Ticket costs: $25- $59

When Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre set this ballet on the stage at the River Center Theatre, master set designer, Nels Anderson created beautiful backdrops that reflected many of our favorite local settings; Clara meets her Uncle Drosselmeyer in a cabin in the swamp, the Old State Capitol is the Sugar Plum fairy’s castle, and so on. This year, unfortunately, these beautiful works of art cannot be used. They are simply too large.

(Source: Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre)

What to do? An artistic challenge, sure, but it is one that the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s and the River Center’s creative team has dug into. For a year now, everyone involved in the production has been hard at work to find new ways to bring the magic to life. Without giving away too many surprises, here are just a few examples: Andre Chapoy is using Nels Anderson’s sets to create dynamic lighting effects that enhance the scenes even more than a traditional set would be capable of. Stage managers have built a machine to quietly blow snow onto the dancers in the snow scene since it can no longer be dropped from above.

These and many more magical “upgrades” will make for a very exciting performance of this timeless classic. Many things will not change at all. The stirring choreography and lavish costumes will continue to accentuate the beautiful dancers, including professional guest artists, professional and pre-professional dancers and over 150 student performers from around Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes. BRBT is also very pleased to continue to present the Nutcracker - A Tale from the Bayou in partnership with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra.

The 2018-19 season is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, and administered by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment of the Arts, Arts Works.